Insider's Health Newsletter
Volume 170 - September 28, 2009

Don’t Rely on Rapid Swine Flu Tests: Your Health May Be in Danger

If you think you’re getting an accurate answer from a rapid swine flu test, you may be putting your health at risk. A recent review of the rapid tests revealed that they are not completely accurate and actually miss many cases of the potentially deadly infection. Keep reading to find out how you can protect yourself and your family from a mistaken diagnosis.

What You Don’t Know About Vitamin D WILL Hurt You

If you don’t know much about the benefits of Vitamin D, or the negative health effects of not getting enough vitamin D, you may be putting your health at extreme risk! Unfortunately, recent research shows that most U.S. adults don’t know the “essentials” on this super-vitamin. Are you one of them?

Familiar with BCAA? Find Out Why It's an Athlete's Best Friend

Overtraining is a serious issue that is now getting a lot of attention. Failure to monitor your bodily responses during heavy exercise programs can diminish the quality of its ultimate return.  Overtraining, training too hard for too long, can provide the groundwork for depression, lack of energy, staleness, and eventual burnout, which will hinder you from reaching your goals.  Failure to pace your training, by having intervening rest phase, can lead to a flat and stale performance. Keep reading to find out about the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and why you should take seriously the negative effects of reaching your peak too soon before a sports competition.

How to Blast Belly Fat in 4 Easy Steps

Spare tire. Muffin top. Potbelly. Middle age spread. Shall I go on?  We’ve all heard these terms to describe that area of the mid-section where extra belly fat resides. But many people don’t know just how dangerous stomach fat can be. Stomach fat, also known as visceral fat, has been linked to a number of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, breast cancer and colon cancer. Visceral fat is much more dangerous than the fat that lands on the hips, thighs and buttocks (known as subcutaneous fat).  So much so that even someone considered slender but who carries a bit more fat around the belly may have a greater health risk than someone is actually obese, according to Dr. Kerry Stewart, professor of clinical exercise physiology at John Hopkins School of Medicine. Keep reading to discover 4 easy steps to blast belly fat once and for all!